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Plot Project...ideas greatly appreciated.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Saskguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just keep coming back to this post, sorry. I've been doing some research regarding grey wooded soil. it appears it's biggest downfall is a lack of nutrients. I could fertilize of course, but I also have this ?. I have access to alot of very "well rotted" manure. Is bringing a few truck loads of it in via atv cart and pounding it in with the disc going to be worth the time?

Sheesh, open up an area of woods, get to work, there's a alot of work, maybe I should have just left everything as it was? </div></div>

You might like this old thread: Do you think my wife will notice...

I hauled manure in and tilled it into an area of my lawn that is just hard red clay. No fertilizer or anything else added and that spot is now beautiful Alice clover! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

Lot of work in your case but anything organic that you can use with "sweat equity" will make your project less expensive but very rewarding! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Saskguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Agronomist also warned me to expect every deer within a couple miles to visit that hidden plot...he said it like a bad thng, I took it as a good one. </div></div>

NICE!!! I would dancing a little jig thinking about that. I cant wait to see some pics from your foodplot. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Dean
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Saskguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So....I dropped about 30 aspens, cleared some underbrush and basically this is what I had to work with. This is just a portion of the plot, which is irregularly shaped due to conifer stands.
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I haven't done much with these small plots lately but in the past I noticed that in areas like this with the tall aspen, there are some sunlight issues when the leaves are on. Anyone here that does these think it will be an issue here?
 
I realize that, however if you look closely at the picture you'll see enough grass from last yr that seemd to get enough light to grow to 3 feet tall. I'm counting on the straight above sunlight we get in late June/early July. 3 hours of darkness only that time of year.It won't be perfect, heck it may not work at all, but worth a shot. Last night I harrowed the area again, breaking up the peat/litter/roots again, I'm definately in good enough shape to try and run the garden tiller through there now, we'll see what transpires. How late is too late for planting?
 
Too late for planting? = At the point where spring rains stop and summer drought starts. You want your planting to get a good start before your summer heat starts and moisture slows down. Or I could be 100% wrong so you may want to wait for some expert advice.

Dean
 
Saskguy,
If it was me I would spend the majority of the first summer getting it ready ...meaning prepping the site and the soil. Then to save some $$$ I would plant oats (they are very cheap) about a month before the first frost. Trust me the deer will come from everywhere to get to the green oats, and this will give you time to get everything the way you want it....then in the spring I would roundup it all down, once it starts to green up and then go back and plant some clovers(we normally plant red and landinos and plant very heavy per acre). I will send you a picture or two of some of our plots. They look like carpets of clover and weeds are at a very very minimum using this method.
 
Will clover survive that far north? Guess biggest thing I learned about small wooded plots is be patient. May take 2-3 years to get it right. Lots of fun to watch it grow though!!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Trust me the deer will come from everywhere to get to the green oats, and this will give you time to get everything the way you want it. </div></div>

Not to mention cheap! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

They won't last but perhaps some rye mixed in the first year?
 
I've been pounding away at the site getting it pretty busted up. Time to drag the tiller back in there and really work it before harrowing and planting. I'm going to throw a real mix of stuff in there, some clover, some "secret spot" and some field peas. My dad brought me a pail full to add to the mix. I'm planning on first seeding the peas and then harrowing the plot to get them covered up. The rest will likely be just be broadcast onto the harrowed plot. What is my best course of action then, harrowing again or just trying to pack it somehow and hope for rain?
 
If you have access to seasoned manure, I would spread it and then till. The manure will continue to decompose and will also halp break down the leaf matter. I would consider winter wheat in late summer with possibly rape or clover.
 
Till or spray first. I've got it pretty pounded apart with the harrows. There is some native vegetation popping up. I'm planning on tilling twice, shall I till, spray, till and plant, or spray first?
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Saskguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Till or spray first. I've got it pretty pounded apart with the harrows. There is some native vegetation popping up. I'm planning on tilling twice, shall I till, spray, till and plant, or spray first? </div></div>

IMO spraying is most important when you are dealing with sod forming grasses like brome or fescue in our area. I suspect that you have little of that type of thing in a woodland area like yours.

When ever you till, weeds (or something) are going to come up, no matter if you till it a hundred times, so....

I would let it "green" up a little then spray, wait a few days to let the spray do it's work (assuming you are using Roundup or some generic form of it) then till and plant.

After that one hopes that whatever you plant will out compete the weeds, with clipping and selective herbicides being an option later on. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Well, it took alot of work spraying, weed shipping, spraying again and then harrowing...over and over and over again. Alot of work...but I was pretty glad to get it looking like this.
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It may not look that great..and it isn't but this is what it'd look like had I not went to work, this is the surrounding woods.
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First step to planting was broadcasting some field peas i got from my dad...and I harrowed them under as good as I could. I spread them pretty thin....just some more variety for them.
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I then broadcast a mix of rye grass, oats, wheat, turnips, and rape. Things are up pretty decent.
j_005.jpg

So far weeds have not been an issue at all except for some milk vetch. there is also still some grass in there but I'm hoping to keep it whipped back to allow the other stuff to catch up. We're dry as heck and it needs a good shot of rain. This little attempt is less of an attempt at nutrition than a backyard possible harvest plot. I'm hoping that the brassicas and mature peas make them want to vist it in that daylight after the first frost hits.
 
Looks great but...what about the bears?? I bet they find it right tasty too!

Better get your trail camera out and keep us posted on progress this summer /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Looks great but...what about the bears?? I bet they find it right tasty too!
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definately a small concern right now. Not sure what a guy can do to win that battle...nothing I guess.

It's been fun, plans for next yr are for it to double in size.
 
You aint got much of a choice with the bears. The way they roll around when they eat you'll wont have any issues telling when they been there.

Any pics from a distance.???

Dean
 
We've finally been getting some rain and things are coming along fairly well considering what this chunk of ground looked like a yr ago.
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Here's a close up of an area that the peas seemed to take hold better than other areas.
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This an area that seemed to have more ryegrass, can't say as though I'm overly enthused with the am't of it.
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The clover was later getting going but if you get in there and snoop it's starting to come with the 6" or so of rain the past 2 weeks.
There seems to be a bit of discloration in some of the brassicas. I'm not sure if it is a lack of nitrogen, earlier dry conditions, or them being too thick. All in all I'm pleased so far, deerare using it now. I should be able to get at least another month before frost, maybe more.

Each time I pass it by in cutting wood, i dream of the future and what it may one day be. Alot of work, some determination...I hope when my boys are old enough to hunt they can sidle back 200 yards north of the house and drop the string in the harvest plot dad built.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There seems to be a bit of discloration in some of the brassicas. I'm not sure if it is a lack of nitrogen, earlier dry conditions, or them being too thick. </div></div>

The "purple" color is normal and typical of some brassica varieties...They don't look to bad to me.

They do love nitrogen which could could give them a pale look vs a richer darker green with plenty of N.

Overall I'd say everything looks pretty darn good! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
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